This book focuses on safer sex discussion and practice in close, personal relationships, emphasizing research on individuals in personal relationship types that are experiencing a rise in HIV infection and AIDS. Moving beyond studies of gay adult males and IV drug-users, this work paints a clear picture of the very real risk that exists for these less-studied, more general populations, so individuals may better personalize the risk and engage in more preventative measures. Authors Tara M. Emmers-Sommer and Mike Allen examine issues surrounding safer sex, utilizing research that focuses on how individuals struggle with personalizing the HIV and AIDS risk and how they cope with safer sex issues. Safer Sex in Personal Relationships takes readers on a journey through a variety of close relationship types. It begins by highlighting awareness to the global enormity of HIV and AIDS and providing a link between the global and personal, and the need to make HIV and AIDS awareness part of everyday talk and personal relationship structure. It then focuses on: *safer sex in close relationships, both heterosexual and homosexual; *marital relationships and the importance of safe sex discussion and awareness in marriages; *HIV and AIDS from a multicultural perspective; *HIV and AIDS in aged populations; and *increasing awareness, understanding, and compassion of those living with HIV and AIDS. This book will appeal to scholars and students concerned with HIV and AIDS in personal relationships. It will be an invaluable text for courses on interpersonal communication and relationships; family, marital, human sexuality, sex and gender, gay and lesbian relationships, and sexual education; and relational conflict across communication, psychology, and sociology disciplines.

This book focuses on safer sex discussion and practice in close, personal relationships, emphasizing research on individuals in personal relationship types that are experiencing a rise in HIV infection and AIDS. Moving beyond studies of gay adult males and IV drug-users, this work paints a clear picture of the very real risk that exists for these less-studied, more general populations, so individuals may better personalize the risk and engage in more preventative measures. Authors Tara M. Emmers-Sommer and Mike Allen examine issues surrounding safer sex, utilizing research that focuses on how individuals struggle with personalizing the HIV and AIDS risk and how they cope with safer sex issues. Safer Sex in Personal Relationships takes readers on a journey through a variety of close relationship types. It begins by highlighting awareness to the global enormity of HIV and AIDS and providing a link between the global and personal, and the need to make HIV and AIDS awareness part of everyday talk and personal relationship structure. It then focuses on: *safer sex in close relationships, both heterosexual and homosexual; *marital relationships and the importance of safe sex discussion and awareness in marriages; *HIV and AIDS from a multicultural perspective; *HIV and AIDS in aged populations; and *increasing awareness, understanding, and compassion of those living with HIV and AIDS. This book will appeal to scholars and students concerned with HIV and AIDS in personal relationships. It will be an invaluable text for courses on interpersonal communication and relationships; family, marital, human sexuality, sex and gender, gay and lesbian relationships, and sexual education; and relational conflict across communication, psychology, and sociology disciplines.

This exceptional collection--a compilation of meta-analyses related to issues in interpersonal communication--provides an expansive review of existing interpersonal communication research. Incorporating a wide variety of topics related to interpersonal communication, including couples and safe sex, parent-child communication, argumentativeness, and self-disclosure, the contributions in this volume also examine such basic issues as reciprocity, constructivism, social support in interpersonal communication, as well as gender, conflict, and marital and organizational issues. With contributions organized into five sections, this volume: *sets the stage for independent meta-analyses; *provides an overview of individual characteristics in interpersonal communication and the meta-analyses reflecting this theme; *explores the dyadic and interactional approaches to interpersonal communication; and *examines the impact of the meta-analyses on the understanding of interpersonal communication. As a resource for interpersonal communication researchers at all levels, this volume establishes a solid foundation from which to launch the next generation of study and research.

This exciting new textbook is a compilation of communication case studies that identify the most salient issues regarding communication about sex in relationships. The text provides a basis for developing tangible communication skills, clearer understandings of how interpersonal concepts and theories play into practice, and an examination of ideas not often considered by students. Understanding interpersonal communication elements of sexual relationships is an indispensable component of any model of an overall healthy human sexual development. Moreover, being able to transform such understandings into practice in relationships is a leap toward being able to have the kind of meaningful communication with sexual partners that can potentially improve relationships, encourage safer sex practices, highlight responsible family planning, and work against limits of gendered and cultured expectations related to sex and sexuality. Twenty-one case studies from leading researchers in sexuality from Communication Studies, Sex Science, English and Medicine focus on interpersonal communication, cultural aspects of sexuality, media influences, health, and dark side of communication while building communication skills about these difficult to discuss topics. Each chapter features a series of possible discussion questions and a reference list of the resources that were used as a knowledge-base for composing that case study.

Is falling in love the same the world over? What makes a 'happy marriage' in different cultures? How does our society influence us in the way we raise our children? Is modern life incompatible with intimacy? In this innovative new text, Robin Goodwin challenges many of the established views on relationships by considering how different cultures view different relationships (love, marriage, friendship, the family, sexual relations). By discussing fundamental differences in values between cultures, alongside other key influences such as social class and education, he explores why these differences occur, and how different political and historical events have challenged existing patterns of relationships. Finally, drawing on research from all parts of the world, he considers how we can use this knowledge to help different communities across the globe cope with their most pressing relational challenges. Dr Robin Goodwin is Reader in Psychology in the Department of Human Sciences at Brunel University, London. He publishes widely on relationships and culture, and lectures about his work across the world.

In the early 1980s we witnessed the birth of one of the most complex and perplexing social problems faced by modern society: the epidemic of infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Originally published in 1993 this title looks at the social psychology surrounding HIV and AIDS. The organization of the volume centres upon two themes: The Theoretical Roots of Prevention and The Dilemma of the PWA (person with AIDS). The goal of this volume is not to evaluate previous attempts to answer these social problems, but to provide theoretical analyses of some of the basic sociopsychological processes that underlie the problems. Over 20 years on this is a snapshot of research into HIV and AIDS and attitudes of the time looking at social problems that are very much still with us.